Fallen Captive Doesn’t Bow To Fame

Fallen Captive’s self-titled debut album is out now on Urban Yeti Records

Metal 6-piece Fallen Captive released their song “Famous” to address the hollow culture social media has created.

We are all part of the matrix. Without question, social media has been a blessing and a curse for general society and the world at large.

On one hand, we are all connected and communication is instant. On the other, we create our own narratives to grab attention at a cost to our own mental health and other’s at times. Fallen Captive frontman and APTV Correspondent, Stevie James discusses the promotion and perils of social media.

RSD: How do you think social media stigmas add to people’s self-worth or lack of worth?

SJ: For all the beautiful people that get thousands of like’s by posting a selfie or a booty pic, it has inflated their self-worth to unrealistic proportions. As they age, they find themselves alone. The opposite effect is had on the ugly and average looking. They may feel “not good enough” and this can have a profoundly negative effect on their mental health. I am, of course, generalizing. These observations, by all means, do not apply to everyone. But this all does apply to more than I think we’d like to admit.

RSD: What advice do you have for those who put too much weight in their online persona?

SJ: Just get off it for a while. A day, a week. If you can’t imagine not using social media for a week, then you’re addicted. That’s a problem. I try to take at least a week off all social media at least once a year, usually around the holidays. Make real connections with real people. I don’t interact in any way on social media with most of the people that are closest to me, so staying off it for a day or two is pretty easy.

RSD: Harsh vocals are sick but sonically those dueling guitar harmonies are fire! How did this song progress in the studio? Melody and lyrics first or riffs on this one?

SJ: Thanks! We always start with riffs then add drums then start to form the general composition of the song. Once a basic outline is laid down, I’ll start to put lyrics over it. As the lyrics come to a head, some of the riffs and/or the composition itself may change to mold around the vocals. With “Famous” in particular, it came together pretty quickly and we didn’t have to change much of anything to accommodate my vocal patterns. It’s a pretty straightforward, high-velocity song. I think a mistake a lot of metal bands make is focusing more on the riffs than on the vocals. 90% of listeners are primarily listening to vocals and the best way to accommodate that is to make sure the song is built around and strengthens the vocals. I think we pulled that off on this track and on the whole record.